Liquid dispenser or applicator



July 23, 1963 R. DE GREGORIO 3,098,256

LIQUID DISPENSER OR APPLICATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 26, 1961 INVENTOR.

July 23, 1963 R. DE GREGORIO 3,098,

LIQUID DISPENSER OR APPLICATOR Filed May 26, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

July 23, 1963 R. DE GREGORIO 3,098,256

LIQUID DISPENSER OR APPLICATOR Filed May 26, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 23, 1963 R. DE GREGORIO LIQUID DISPENSER OR APPLICATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 26, 1961 Fly. 8

muafi United States Patent 3,098,256 LIQUID DISPENSER 0R APPLICATOR Richard De Gregorio, 143 W. 3rd St, Reno, Nev. Filed May 26, 1961, Ser. No. 112,832 4 Claims. (Cl. 15-565) This invention relates to a liquid dispenser or applicator and more particularly to a dispenser for applying wax to a surface such as a floor or the like.

For many years wax manufacturers and janitorial supply manufacturers have attempted to provide a liquid Wax dispenser that would solve the housewifes waxing problem in a simple, economic manner. Many mops and dispensers have been devised but none seem to solve the problem. Some mops have been too complicated to operate, others too heavy to manipulate, and in still others the flow of wax, or liquid, is not uniform. In most instances the dispensing unit is too expensive.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is the provision of a liquid dispenser that uses a conventional container and by association of simple parts with the container converts the container to a liquid dispenser capable of spreading the liquid over a preselected surface with a minimum of effort.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a liquid dispenser that is so inexpensive to produce that liquid wax maufacturers may give the component units of the dispenser to the purchaser when the purchaser buys a can of wax.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a dispenser that is easy to use; and consequently, a person of almost any age can use it without any special instruction.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a liquid dispenser that eliminates the use of rags which is an inherent fire danger, particularly when the latter are stored.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a dispenser in which there is a complete product control.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a liquid wax dispenser that is positive in its action, that is relatively light and may be readily stored and that is readily manipulated with a minimum of effort.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a liquid dispenser that does not require the transfer of liquid to be dispensed from a container to the dispenser.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a liquid wax dispenser wherein the user does not have to manually touch the wax in any way.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a liquid wax dispenser that is comprised of components that may be quickly and easily assembled with a conventional wax container to provide a liquid wax dispensing unit.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view showing one embodiment of a liquid dispenser or applicator.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side view of the components shown in FIGURE 1 as they are being assembled to form the liquid dispenser.

FIGURE 3 is a top view of a pad of the dispenser in association with a can of liquid and showing details of construction.

FIGURE 4 is a top view of a modification of the invention.

FIGURE 5 is an end view of FIGURE 4 with the dispenser in association with a can.

FIGURE 6 is a top view of another modification of the invention.

FIGURE 7 is an end view of FIGURE 6 with the dispenser in association with a can.

FIGURE 8 is a top view of another modification of the invention.

FIGURE 9 is an end view of FIGURE 8.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention is shown in an embodiment for use in applying liquid wax to a floor or other surface. It is to be understood that this dispenser may be used for other purposes, and the user may use other liquids. In general, the liquid dispenser or applicator comprises a hand-1e 8, a liquid dispensing applicator 9, each releasably aiiixed to a conventional container 10 so that liquid flows from a container 10' to the applicator 9 in a precontrolled manner and through manipulation of the handle 8, the assembled unit may be moved relative to the floor to apply a uniform coating of wax on the floor.

As shown, the container or can 10 has a generally rectangular cross-section comprising a top 11, a bottom 12, sides 13 and 14, a front 16 and a back 17. A bottom edge 18 and a top edge .19 are of conventional beaded construction, this construction being the result of rolling over the edges of the can to insure a tight fit of the assembled components forming the can. The top 11 of the can is provided with an opening 20 formed by a threaded flange 21 secured to the top 11 as by welding and providing communication with the interior of the container 10 to form a pouring spout; a cap 22 of conventional construction is engageable with the threaded flange to provide a removable closure for the container '10.

For simplicity of construction in this embodiment, the handle 8 is formed by an elongated member adapted to be releasably secured to the container 10. As shown, this is accomplished by attaching the cap .22 to the end of the handle 8 so that the threaded skirt portion of cap 22 is engageable with the threaded flange 21. One effective way of positively securing the cap 22 to the handle 8 is by a screw 26 threaded through an opening in the cap 22 and into the end of the handle 8 as shown in FIGURE 1. Washers 25 and 30 may be disposed between the head of the screw 26 and between the top of the cap 22 and the end of the handle 8 as shown. The handle 8 is sufficiently long so that when the applicator 9 of the dispensing unit is on the floor, the user may stand in an upright position, with the dispenser in front of and spaced slightly from the user. When the handle 8 is attached to the can 10, the handle 8 and the can 10 are preferably inclined at an angle to the pad 9 so as to provide for ease of the operator in the use of the dispenser. The handle 8 may be formed of any suitable material such as metal, plastic, wood, or the like. It is readily seen that with this construction the handle 8 may be secured and removed from the container :10 in a simple, easy manner.

The applicator 9, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, includes a body 31 to which is attached a piece of wool pad 32, or the like, to provide a good liquid dispensing surface that will not scratch the surface upon which the wax is being placed, means 33 capable of acting between the body 31 and the container 10 for releasably securing the applicator 9 to the container and provision for effecting a flow of liquid from the container .10 to the applicator 9. The body 3 1 in this instance has a generally rectangular shape having an upper surface and a lower surface and is formed from thin material having some resiliency yet capable of maintaining a predetermined shape. The size and shape of the body may vary as required. The pad 32 may be attached to the bottom or lower surface of the body 31 by any suitable adherent.

Provision is made for quickly attaching and removing the applicator 9 to and from the container '10. In this instance an edge 36 of the body 31 is folded or arched back on itself so that in cross-section it has the appearance of the letter C as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. Thus, as shown, the edge or lip 36 overlies the body 31 and is in spaced relation to the body 31. The edge 36 is shaped so that it is engageable with the bead of the container and co-acts with the body 31 to secure the applicator 9 to the container 10.

Any suitable means may be utilized for effecting limited flow of liquid from the container 10 to the applicator 9. Herein the flow of liquid is effected by passageways 43 in bosses 41 on the upper surface of the body 31 shaped to project into openings 42 in the bottom 12 of the container 10. As can be seen in FIGURES 1 and 3, I have shown the applicator 9 with three bosses 41 adapted to be inserted respectively in the openings 42 in the container 10. It is to be understood that the number of bosses and openings may vary. Each boss 41 is provided with a central passageway 43 arranged so that liquid may flow from the container '10 by gravity to the upper surface of the body 31 through a slot 44 (see arrows in FIGURE 1') in the body 31 to the liquid dispensing surface 32. As best seen in FIGURES 1 and 3, the bosses 41 have a generally truncated, conoidal shape, the top of each boss 41 being of a diameter smaller than the base of the boss 41 and is mounted on a shoulder 46 extending lengthwise of the applicator 9, preferably adjacent the slot 44 so as to direct the flow of liquid to the slot 44. By having the bosses 41 of the shape described herein, it is readily seen that a tight fit can be made between the bosses 41 and the openings 42 in the can. As shown, the passageways 43 are formed in each boss 41 by a slot on the edge of each boss extending lengthwise of the boss 41 in a direction from the top to the bottom of the boss 41. The length of each slot 43 is such that when the boss 41 is inserted in the opening 42, the bottom of the slot 43 is adjacent the bottom .12 of the container 1-9 and permits a predetermined quantity of the liquid to flow out of the container 10. It is readily understood that the rate of flow may be adjusted by providing larger or smaller slots 43.

The openings 42 are generally predcsignated on the bottom of the container 10 and it is only up to the user to push out the closure of the opening.

It is readily apparent from the foregoing that this liquid dispenser may be readily used in a quick and easy manner and may be briefly summarized as follows:

The purchaser of a can of liquid wax removes the cap on the top of the container and threads the handle containing the cap 22 in the position shown in FIGURE 1 by simple, manual movements. Thereafter, the container 10 is turned upside down, the operator knocks out the depressed portions in the container 10 to form the openings 42. The operator then takes the applicator 9 and places the applicator 9 so that the lip 36 engages the top of head 18 of the bottom of the can as shown in FIGURE 2. Thereafter the user inserts the bosses until a tight fit exists between the bosses and the can. With the bosses 41 inserted in the openings 42, the ends of the slots defining the passageways 43 shold be below the bottom of the can as shown in FIGURE 1 so as to permit the flow of liquid from the container 10 to the dispenser. The operator then turns the container 10 over so that the pad 9 is down and the handle is in an upright position as shown in FIGURE 1. The liquid will flow from the container 10 through the slots 43 onto the top of the body 31; the liquid may form a small pool on the top of the body 31 but when sufficient liquid is on top of the body 31, the liquid will flow from the slot 44 to the wool pad 32. The slot 44 assures the operator that the wax will be uniformly applied to the pad 32. By simple manipulation the applicator may be moved relative to the floor so that the wax will be uniformly applied to the floor. It is readily apparent that with this dispenser, the operator may in effect pull the applicator towards him so that he does not have to walk on the waxed surface.

As shown, the applicator 9 is completely washable and, as a matter of fact, should be washed or rinsed after each use by rinsing or dipping in water. If the applicator 9 is not washed, the wool will dry hard and will become useless after a short period of time.

It is also readily apparent that this liquid dispenser is of very simple construction and may be readily assembled and disassembled. It is also seen that the cost of the components is very small and that a liquid wax manufacturer can readily manufacture the various compo nents and give them away as an inducement to buy a can of wax.

It can be seen that the applicator 9 may also be used as a top or cap or stopper for the can 10. This is accomplished by simply inserting the bosses 41 which are generally cork shaped, into the openings 42 without engaging the lip 36 with the head on the can. In this position of the applicator 9 the bosses are thrust tightly into the openings such that each passageway 43 is completely Within the can 10 and an air tight storage chamber is formed because the bosses 41 fit snugly with the edges of the openings 42.

As shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, the pad is formed by pressing the parts from a piece of metal. In general the pad includes a body 41 and a wool surface piece 42 attached to the body 41 as described hereinbefore. In this embodiment the bosses 43 and the shoulder 44 are formed by deforming the metal body. Each boss 43 is formed with a slot 46 on its edge as described hereinbefore. The slot 45 extends lengthwise of the shoulder 44. The body 41 is also formed with a lip 48 which is adapted to engage a head 49 of a can 50 in the manner previously described. In this instance each boss 43 is formed with a shoulder 55 adapted to fit snugly against the bottom of the can where the body 31 is secured to the bottom of the can.

Another variation of the dispensing pad is shown in FIGURES 6 and 7. In this instance the body is formed from a rectangular member 60 having a piece of Wool 52 attached to one side to form a wax dispensing surface as previously described. The upper side of the body is formed with a shoulder 53. Projecting upwardly from the shoulder 53 are bosses 54, three in this instance, for insertion in openings in the bottom of the can 56. As can be seen, the shoulder 53 is inclined at an angle to the top of the body. In this instance the body is secured to the can by an adhesive member 57 mounted on the shoulder 53 and arranged so as to effect a bond between the body and the can. In this embodiment a central passageway 59 is formed in the boss and the shoulder for effecting a flow of liquid from the can directly to the wool surface.

The embodiment shown in FIGURES 8 and 9 is similar to that shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 and includes a body 61, a surface piece 62 and a lip 63 for attaching the body to the can in the manner previously described. In this instance a passageway 64 in each boss 66 is formed so as to provide direct communication between the can and the surface piece 62. As can be seen, the end 66 of the boss may be pointed and sharpened so that it may be used to pierce the bottom of a can if desired. In this embodiment gaskets 67 may be disposed between a shoulder 68 on the boss and the bottom of the can.

I claim:

1. In a device for spreading liquid on a surface the combination of a container having a top, a bottom and an edge adjacent said bottom, said top having a first opening into said container, said bottom having a second opening, an applicator having a liquid dispensing surface, an upper surface and a passage effecting communication between the upper surface and the liquid dispensing surface, a boss mounted on said upper surface shaped to fit snugly in said opening in the bottom of said container, said boss having an opening whereby fluid in said container may flow to the upper surface of said applicator, means acting between said applicator and said edge to secure said applicator to said container, a handle, manually operable means for quickly securing and releasing said handle to said container, said handle when secured to said container being arranged whereby manipulation of said handle permits the applicator to be moved relative to said surface and liquid in said container is thereby spread uniformly over said surface.

2. In a device for spreading liquid on a surface the combination of a container having a top, a bottom and a beaded edge adjacent said bottom, said top having a flange defining an opening into said container, said bot tom having a second opening, an applicator having a liquid dispensing surface, an upper surface and an open passage between the upper surface and liquid dispensing surface, a body mounted on said upper surface shaped to fit snugly in said opening in the bottom of said container, said body having an opening whereby fluid in said container may flow to the upper surface of said applicator, resilient means acting between said applicator and container to secure said applicator to said container, a handle, means acting between said handle and said flange to secure said handle to said container whereby manipulation of said handle permits the applicator to be moved relative to said surface, and liquid in said container is thereby spread uniformly over said surface.

3. The combination of a container for containing liquid to be dispensed, said container having a top, a bottom and beaded edge, said bottom having at least one opening adjacent said beaded edge, an applicator shaped to spread said liquid on a surface, means mounted on said applicator insertable in said opening having a small passageway to permit a limited flow of liquid from said container to said applicator, biased means mounted on said applicator co-acting with said beaded edge for securing said pad to said container, a handle, and means co-acting with said container and handle for securing said handle to said container whereby a user through manual efforts applied to the handle may move said applicator relative to the surface to spread liquid over a surface as desired.

4. In a device for spreading liquid on a surface the combination of a container having a top, a bottom and a beaded edge adjacent said bottom, said bottom being arranged so that an opening may be formed thereon, a threaded flange on said top, said top having an opening in communication with the container, a handle, a threaded cap secured to said handle and engageable with said flange to secure the handle to the container, an applicator for dispensing liquid having an upper portion, a bottom portion and means formed in said body for effecting commnuication between the upper and bottom portions, said bottom portion being shaped to spread said liquid on said surface, a body mounted on said applicator and shaped to fit in an opening formed on the bottom of said container, said body having an opening so that when said body penetrates the opening in the bottom of the container the opening in the body is in communication with the container and the liquid therein may flow to said pad, said upper portion being formed from resilient material and having a lip portion preformed to be in spaced relation to the upper portion, the spacing between the upper portion and said lip portion being such that when said applicator is adjacent the container so that the body penetrates said opening in the container said lip portion engages the beaded edge on the container to securely hold said applicator on said container.

Ploner May 1, 1951 Zahn July 23, 1957 

3. THE COMBINATION OF A CONTAINER FOR CONTAINING LIQUID TO BE DISPENSED, SAID CONTAINER HAVING A TOP, A BOTTOM AND BEADED EDGE, SAID BOTTOM HAVING AT LEAST ONE OPENING ADJACENT SAID BEADED EDGE, AN APPLICATOR SHAPED TO SPREAD SAID LIQUID ON A SURFACE, MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID APPLICATOR INSERTABLE IN SAID OPENING HAVING A SMALL PASSAGEWAY TO PERMIT A LIMITED FLOW OF LIQUID FROM SAID CONTAINER TO SAID APPLICATOR, BIASED MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID APPLICATOR CO-ACTING WITH SAID BEADED EDGE FOR SECURING SAID PAD TO SAID CONTAINER, A HANDLE, AND MEANS CO-ACTING WITH SAID CONTAINER AND HANDLE FOR SECURING SAID HANDLE TO SAID CONTAINER WHEREBY A USER THROUGH MANUAL EFFORTS APPLIED TO THE HANDLE MAY MOVE SAID APPLICATOR RELATIVE TO THE SURFACE TO SPREAD LIQUID OVER A SURFACE AS DESIRED. 